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2012 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Offense

2012 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Offense
2012 NFL Draft Sleepers: Offense | 2012 NFL Draft Sleepers: Defense
2012 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Offense | 2012 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Defense
2012 NFL Draft Boom or Bust Players

Published April 4, 2012
By Charlie Campbell - @draftcampbell

In the recent weeks there have been a lot of questions about which players to avoid in the 2012 NFL Draft class. Every draft has some players that are selected highly only to becoming massive disappointments in the NFL. Here we breakdown some potential busts in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State
There is a wide variety in the opinions on Cousins. Some see him as a second-round pick while others have him in the fourth round. Cousins had decent production at Michigan State but never was a dominant player. Cousins' arm strength is adequate but he can't beat defenses solely on his arm. He doesn't look like he has the arm to really push the ball outside of the numbers.

Some believe that Cousins has enough as a passer to potentially be a starter, but he needs to be above average in his field vision and anticipation. Cousins will have to be a game manager that keeps mistakes to a minimum. He does a lot of things well, but nothing great. He doesn't present mismatches, and it wouldn't be surprising if he is a career backup who is unable to claim a starting job. It a team drafts him with a second-day pick expecting to turn him into a starter, they could be in store for a disappointing pick.

LaMichael James, RB, Oregon
James has the potential to be a boom-or-bust prospect. He had an impressive college football career, and he has an intriguing skill set as a speed back entering the NFL. However, there is a major red flag with James in terms of durability. The 5-foot-8, 194-pounder had some nagging injuries in college along with a dislocated elbow this season. One also has to wonder about how effective his speed will be against NFL defenses. When James played a stiff SEC defense like Auburn or LSU, he was held in check in each game. James could be a good situational back, but expecting him to be the force he was in college is misguided.

Rueben Randle, WR, LSU
Randle could be the latest in line of LSU receivers who fail to turn into impact receivers in the NFL after getting drafted in the early rounds. Michael Clayton, Early Doucet and Brandon LaFell were all top-100 picks who were drafted too high. One reason why Randle makes this list is he struggled against NFL-caliber cornerbacks. Randle was completely ineffective against Alabama with five catches for 32 yards in two games last season. He was incapable of getting separation from the Crimson Tide secondary.

There have been plenty of collegiate receivers who produced despite bad quarterback play, yet Randle never had a 1,000 yard season in college. He had only four 100-yard games in three seasons of playing time, with one of them coming against Northwestern State. Randle is projected by some to be a late first-round pick and is a consensus second-rounder. Don't be surprised if he is a bust of a second-round pick.

Orson Charles, TE, Georgia
There really isn't an early-round tight end who presents a big bust concern. This is due in part to this being a weak tight end class, but we can include Charles after his recent arrest. It shows a serious lack of judgment and decision-making to risk an off-the-field incident when NFL teams are heavily scrutinizing every aspect about a prospect. Charles showed other attitude concerns when he ducked the majority of the Combine workouts. He is a good athlete so it was surprising that he decided to pass on the field workouts. Charles has good receiving skills, but his intangibles may get in the way of him utilizing them in the NFL.

Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State
It wouldn't surprise me if Adams is a bust. He struggles to stop speed rushers, and his work ethic is questionable. The lack of drive could be seen in his terrible Combine bench-press performance of 19 reps. Adams (6-7, 323) is a good athlete but clearly doesn't play up to his potential. He was embarrassed by Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus this season and struggled with Marshall's Vinny Curry in 2010.

Adams would be better off going to right tackle in the NFL, but he still could get his quarterback sacked often when matched up against a quality speed rusher. I'd be worried about Adams going up against a good 3-4 defense. He may be a first-round or early second-round pick, and that pick has bust potential written on it.

Ben Jones, C, Georgia
At one time, Jones was viewed as a second-round pick, but his stock has slid over the past few months. Jones was destroyed in a few games as a senior. He had ugly performances against Boise State, LSU and Michigan State. All of those teams featured future NFL defensive tackles, and Jones did not look like he could hold his own against them.

Jones did not perform well at the Senior Bowl either. He had problems with the likes of Clemson's Brandon Thomspon and Florida's Jaye Howard. At the weigh-in, Jones (6-2, 303) had a sloppy body, so he needs to get better at how he carries his weight.

Jones may go on the second day of the 2012 NFL Draft, but whoever drafts him better plan on giving him plenty of guard help.

2012 NFL Draft Sleepers: Offense | 2012 NFL Draft Sleepers: Defense
2012 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Offense | 2012 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Defense
2012 NFL Draft Boom or Bust Players

03-10-2013 02:12 am xxx.xxx.xxx9.43 (total posts: 16)

Samuel 11-10-2012 11:25 am xxx.xxx.xxx4.98 (total posts: 1)

Wow do you know what your crafting day remnided me of? When I was in school we used to make hats for Easter. I now, so want to make a grown up and yet girly fun hat for Easter and see who of my circle of friends would want to get silly like that I must ponder and noodle on this.Your studio is beautiful

willie 05-20-2012 12:57 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.152 (total posts: 1)

dude you write like a 7th grader,your knowledge of football is very very elementery and your suppositions are based on what?you vast in depth scouting?learn the craft

James 04-22-2012 06:35 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.226 (total posts: 1)

Adams will do fine

bearfan21 04-19-2012 05:22 pm xxx.xxx.xxx4.23 (total posts: 1)

KirK Cousins threw the ball 80 yards? lol you moron

lionsfan88 04-19-2012 06:05 am xxx.xxx.xxx24.4 (total posts: 1)

Kirk Cousins can be a starter, just not right away. I have personally seen him throw a ball 80 yards, think his arm strength is good, how bout u? And his mismatch for anyone whos seen tape, is his running ability. He never uses it, but when he does, he can get 20 yard gains and he has more than enough football IQ to choose when he should do that.

I love sun tan man 04-15-2012 09:35 am xxx.xxx.xxx.152 (total posts: 1)

Ryan Tannehill, clearly.

akryan 04-12-2012 10:15 pm xxx.xxx.xxx7.40 (total posts: 1)

The problem with this list is that it's full of guys that aren't expected to be drafted high anyway. Part of the definition of busting is that you fall way short of expectations. No one has that high of expectations for these guys to begin with.

This is proper bust prediction: "I think that Dontari Poe may be a bust. He's going in the first round based more on his combine performance than on his production in college. That's huge red flag for a potential bust"

haha 04-06-2012 11:56 pm xxx.xxx.xxx5.31 (total posts: 1)

In the right system I could see James being effective. Maybe not quite as good as Jamaal Charles.

Even a blind man could see Cousins will be a bust.

Art Vandelay 04-05-2012 12:40 am xxx.xxx.xxx4.88 (total posts: 1)

You have the Rams drafting 2 out of the 6 guys on this list...sounds about right.

Packer Backer Steve 04-04-2012 11:38 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.226 (total posts: 2)

Dirk -

Normally I would 100% agree with your statement. But the biggest problem I saw with LSU WR Reuben Randle was his lack of seperation and drops. He just flat out was not open, even against single man coverage. I also felt that on too many occasions he would not cut his route off when facing over the top S help; he would just continue to run his route, almost completely unaware that a S was shadowing him. Now maybe he was coached that way at LSU, I don't know.

I will say this, the LSU offense is boring, lacks play making ability and is something from the 1950s or 1960s. Run - run - incomplete - punt.

Maybe the problem with the LSU WRs is the coaching and the system more so than the players. Again, I just don't know.

Dirk 04-04-2012 11:31 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.112 (total posts: 1)

I think it's insanely tough to say Randle will b a bust in the nfl. Imagine someone throwing him the ball that could get it within 10 feet and have mild Zip on it. I think he could b a boom

Packer Backer Steve 04-04-2012 11:07 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.226 (total posts: 2)

Pretty good list.

I completely agree that the "Bust Alert" is high on LSU WR Rueben Randle. I was completely unimpressed with him throughout his entire college career. I wouldn't touch him before round five.

Another guy that I agree with you about is Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins. I see him strictly as a career back-up; nothing wrong with that - pay and benefits are great. However, when I see him, I see a near carbon copy of current Redskins QB John Beck.

Georgia C Ben Jones might have to move to G to have any kind of an effective NFL career. I think he best fits a zone blocking scheme - the Houston Texans or maybe my Green Bay Packers - but not before round four.

**********

A couple of other guys I would throw on the list are:

(I know this is going to be very unpopular.) WR Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State) - 1) Coming out of the spread offense. 2) The Big 12 has been down, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and he hasn't really faced any great defenses the past couple of years. 3) Not nearly as big / tall as advertised while with the 'Pokes.

WR Kendall Wright (Baylor) - He's only 5' 11" and 190 lbs, but he is super fast and runs a great "go" route. Sounds a little bit like former Ohio State WR Teddy Guinn Jr. Drafting a return specialist and at best #3 WR is hardly ever a good call in round one. Whoever drafts him will hope he is the next Mike Wallace (Current Steeler and former Missisippi Rebel) and not the next Guinn.

OT Zebrie Sanders (Florida State) - I wouldn't touch this guy before round four or five. He looks soft and not very strong. I watched FSU several times over the past couple of seasons - I was totally unimpressed with Sanders.

CB Janoris Jenkins (North Alabama) - Does anybody really think this guy is going to stay out of trouble with the law? I certainly do not.

BalcoBomber25 04-04-2012 10:11 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.171 (total posts: 1)

Number 1 on this list should be RG3, classic system QB who was unheard of until his senior year when he put up ridiculous numbers. We have seen this player countless times before, Akili Smith and Vince Young are prime examples who were both taken in the top 3.

Joe 04-04-2012 09:21 pm xxx.xxx.xxx1.50 (total posts: 1)

I think Tannehill will be a bust. A few months ago, every mock I saw had him in the 2nd round. Now, without stepping on the field since then (except for the combine, which shouldn't move players up the board only confirm that they're not too high), he's projected to go in the top 5 or 10. He moved up the board because of a shortage of QBs not because of his own talent.

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2012 NFL Draft Potential Busts: Offense

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